1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, image forming system, image forming method, program and storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a variety of image forming apparatuses including a copier, a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, and a Multiple Function Peripheral (referred to as “MFP” hereinafter) have been proposed and marketed. Further, an image forming system is provided for a wide range of applications where such an image forming apparatus and a terminal, which controls the image forming apparatus, are connected with each other via a local area network (referred to as “LAN” hereinafter), for example.
When an image is printed in such an image forming system, the image and a print job are sent from the terminal to the image forming apparatus over the network. Upon receiving them, the image forming apparatus starts to make a print on the conditions specified by the received printing job. The print job may specify the size of printing paper, the type of printing paper, for example, OHP or cardboard, the location of stapling or punching on printing paper, and a paper feed tray to be used for printing in an image forming apparatus, and so on.
In such a conventional image forming system, there may occur a discrepancy between the printing conditions (referred to as “first printing conditions” hereinafter) specified by the print job and the printing conditions (referred to as “second printing conditions” hereinafter) which the image forming apparatus generates on the basis of the first printing conditions and settings of the image forming apparatus. More particularly, the size of the printing paper contained in the paper feed tray of the image forming apparatus which the print job specifies may be different from that of the printing paper specified by the print job, the type of the printing paper contained in the paper feed tray specified by the print job may be different from that of the printing paper specified by the print job, and the location of stapling or punching on the printing paper contained in the paper feed tray specified by the print job may be different from that of stapling or punching on the printing paper specified by the print job, for example.
For the conventional system, in the above mentioned cases, an error message indicating the discrepancy is sent from the image forming apparatus to the terminal, and is displayed on a display of the terminal to inform a user of the occurrence of the discrepancy. In response to the error message, the user can reset the print job, replace the sheets of paper contained in the paper feed tray of the image forming apparatus with another sheets of paper, or turn the sheets of paper therein to the position which the user desires, in order to solve the discrepancy.
For example, some conventional facsimile apparatuses have a modifying device which modifies the settings predetermined for sheet of paper received from the image forming apparatus in order to inhibit the stapling together of sheets of paper including a sheet of paper punched in different manner from the other sheets of paper (e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 9-160321).
However, it is very troublesome for the user to reset the print job or go to the image forming apparatus and replace the sheets of paper, contained in the paper feed tray of the image forming apparatus, with another sheets of paper.